Ornamentally coloring paper



Nov. 21, 1939. E. F. BASSFORD ORNAMENTALLY COLORING PAPER Filed Sept.23, 1937 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 21, 1939 2,180,387 ORNAMENTALLYCOLORING PAPER Ethan F. Bassford, Nutley, N. J., assignor to George LaMonte & Son, Nutley, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationSeptember 23, 1937, Serial No. 165,237

Claims.

This invention relates to ornamentally coloring paper and method ofmaking such paper. This invention relates especially to the productionof paper containing portions colored to different degrees of colorintensity so as to give the effect is to afford a paper having twodegrees of color intensity. Where the paper was subjected to pressureduring the rolling step the intensity of the color is somewhat deeperthan where the pressure was not applied. In this manner paper, such ascheck paper, having alternate light and dark lines, for example, can beproduced.

v According to the present invention, paper can be produced whichcontains portions which are of predetermined form and which are usuallyin the form of Iegends, such as printing, ornamental designs and thelike that are different in color intensity from a background portion of.the paper; and in addition, an attractive shaded effect of a stillfurther color intensity is produced adjacent the portions ofpredetermined form, as will be described more in detail below.

As illustrative of this invention, paper is subjected to locally appliedpressure so as to have portions of the surface thereof of substantiallydifferent absorptiveness for a liquid coloring ma.- terial. A portion-orplurality of portions of lesser absorptiveness is preferably ofpredetermined form such as lettering, ornamental designs, and

the like. And it is a feature of this invention that a shaded efiect isproduced in local areas adjacent the portions of lesser aosorptivenessby successive applications of liquid coloring material. One applicationof the liquid coloring material is made to the portion of the paperhaving greater absorptiveness not only in the local area to constitutethe shading adjacent the portion of lesser absorptiveness, but alsobeyond such area, and another application of the liquid coloringmaterial is made to the portion of the surface of the paper havinggreater absorptiveness, but only in the area to be' shaded and which isadjacent to the portion of lesser absorptiveness. Preferably this isdone by spreading or wiping free liquid coloring material overlying theportions of lesser absorptiveness onto the local areas adjacent saidportions which are to be shaded. In this manner, the local areasreferred to have imparted to them a greater color intensity than thecolor intensity of the other portions of the paper which have thegreater absorptiveness for coloring material. The portions of the paperhaving the lesser degrees of absorptiveness for the coloring materialare colored least of all. Features of this invention relate both to themethod of producing such paper and the resultant product.

Paper produced according to this invention has a very attractiveappearance, and while it is suitable for a variety of purposes, it maybe used to advantage as a fancy wrapping paper. In such case, forexample, wrapping paper can be produced which contains at intervalsabout the surface thereof some legend such as a trade-mark including.lettering and/or an ornamental design. Adjacent the legend portionsthere is shading whichis of a substantially deeper color than thebalance of the background. This shading greatly enhances the ornamentalcharacter of the paper and makes the legends appear to stand out in avery pronounced and pleasing manner from the portion of the paperconstituting the background therefor.

Further purposes, features and advantages of this invention will beapparent from the following description of the accompanying drawingwhich illustrates certain embodiments of this invention, wherein Figurel is a side view, largely diagrammatic, of apparatus which may be usedin the practice of this invention; 7

.Figure 2 isa side View, largely diagrammatic, of an alternate form ofapparatus which may be used according to this invention;-

Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of a sheet of paper embodying thisinvention and produced according to this invention with a-corner of thepaper turned to show the opposite surface thereof; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to that in Figure 3 of an alternate form ofpaper embodying this invention and produced according to this invention.

The production of paperaccording to this invention maybe illustrated inconnection with Figure 1. A sheet ill of paper is passed over a guideroll i I and is immersed by means of roller l2 in a bath of coloringmaterial l3 such as a solution of a suitable dye, the coloring materialbeing contained in a tank M or other suitable container. As the sheet IDof paper is removed from the bath of coloring material l3, it carries anexcess of the liquid coloring material on the the surface thereof. Inthis manner pressure is not applied to the paper throughout the entireextent thereof but is applied to only certain portions thereof. Theportions of the paper which are compressed are modified as to theabsorptiveness thereof for the coloring material, the paper beingrendered more absorptive at the points where the pressure is applied.The degree to which the absorptiveness of the paper is cflectcd dependsupon the pressure which is used. The greater the amount of pressure, themore the paper is modified to increase its absorptiveness for the liquidcoloring material. Pressures upwards of pounds per inch of line contactbetween the rolls have been found to be especially satisfactory.in thepractice of this invention, although there is a wide latitude withregard to the degree of pressure which may be used.

.Where the pressure is applied to the paper, any excess of the liquidcoloring material is re- -moved from the paper. The excess of liquidcoloring material is not removed, however, from theportions of the paperwhich have not been subjected to pressure and which register'with therecesses IT in roller lfi. Therefore, as the paper emerges from therolling step, it carries free liquid coloring material overlying theportions of the paper which have not been compressed, and which have thelesser degree of absorptiveness for the coloring material. After thepaper has emerged from the rolling step the paper passes the spreader l8which may be in the form of a bar, brush, roller, or the like. Thespreader wipes the free liquid coloring material which overlies theportions of the sheet having the lesser absorptiveness for the liquidcoloring material, onto local areas of the portion of the sheet having agreater absorptiveness for the coloring material, with the result thatthese local areas of the portion of the sheet having the greaterabsorptiveness for the coloring material receive a second application ofthe coloring material. Where this second application is made to theportion of the sheet having the greater absorptiveness for the coloringmaterial, a greater degree of coloration is afi'orded than in theremainder of the portion of the sheet having the greater absorptivenessfor the coloring material. While the liquid coloring material hasremained in contact with the portions of the sheet having the lesserdegree of absorptiveness for the coloring material, the relativelylesser the wringer rolls will have asomewhat analogous spreadingefl'ect, but the use of a separate spreader'spaced ,from the wringerrolls is preferred.

The finished product is illustrated in connecbe disposed to one tionwith Fig. 3, for example. The recesses II in the roll I Bare in the formof a legend 2|, for example, the term legend being regarded asapplicable to lettering, trade-marks, ornamental designs, or othermarks. The paper after having passed through the bath of coloringmaterial i3 and between the rolls l5 and I6, becomes colored so as toform a background for the legend 2|, this background portion 22 beingin-, dicated by light stippling. The coloring material is absorbed inthis portion to a greater degree than in the legend 2i due to the factthat the absorptiveness of the paper has been increased by theapplication of pressure to the portion 22. The paper in passing .underthe spreader M has the free liquid coloring material overlying thelegends 2| wiped from the legends 2] into local areas 23 on the side ofthe legends 2| which is contrary to the motion of the paper through theapparatus, and the coloring material is absorbedv in such areas so as tocolor them to a greater degree of intensity than the, backgroundfl, asindicated by the heavy stippling. The legends 2|. which are colored theleast are thereby set oil from the background 22 by the shaded areas 23to afford the pleasing and ornamental eflect which is shown in Fig. 3.

Other ornamental effects can be produced such as that illustrated inconnection with Fig. 4. In the production of such paper the recesses Hin roll l6 are caused to surround the legend 24 so that the legendportion 24 may be in a dark color and set off against a contrastinglighter color. The portions 25 of the paper which register with therecesses I! have a lesser degree of absorptiveness for the liquidcoloring material than the remainder of the paper to which pressure isapplied including the legend 24. The body portion or background 26 ofthe paper is colored as described in connection with Fig. 3. The legend24 and the shaded area 2'! become colored more intensely than thebackground 28 when the paper passes underneath the spreader iii, thefree coloring material overlying the portion 25 being wiped onto thelegend portion to one side of the area 25 so as to produce the shadedportion 21. The letters and figures constituting the legend portion 24are colored to approximately the same degree of intensity as the shadedarea 21.

The shaded areas invention may be caused to lie in any desired re ativedirection with respect to the legend portions on the paper. For example,the shading 24 and likewise produced according to this may be n llydisposed with respect to the legend portions, as illustrated in Fig. 3,or may side of the legend portions, as illustrated in Fig. 4. This canbe controlled, by locating the recesses I! in ,the roll l6 whichdetermine the form spreader l8 and" the motion of the paper. spreader ina different relation to the motion of the paper or by movingthespreader, other types and directions of shading can be produced asmay bedesired.

In the foregoing operation both sidesof the paper are colored and ashading effect is produced on one side only of the'paper- A shadingeffect: could be produced on both sides oi the paper by having recessessuch as recesses ll'in roll i5 as well as in roll l8 and usingspreaderson both sides of the paper. If,only one side of the paper is tobe colored, the coloring material of thelegend portion with reference tothe position of the y disposing the .with Fig. 2 which is similar to theapparatus,

, the sheet Ill.

can be applied on only one surface of the sheet of paper in practicingthis invention.

An alternate form of apparatus and method for producing ornamentallycolored paper according to this invention shown in connection shown inFig. 1, except with reference to the character of the spreader and theinclusion of means for making a second application of coloring materialto the back of the paper. Where the parts shown in Fig, 2 are similar tothe parts shown in Fig. 1, they are indicated by like referencecharacters, and repetition of thedescription thereof will not berepeated. In Fig. 2 the paper sheet I!) after having been subjected tocompression between rolls I and I6 is passed underneath the roller 28which'is partially immersed in the bath l3 of coloring material. Thesheet then passes between the wringer rolls l9, as described inconnection with Fig. 1. this manner, the coloring material can .beapplied only to the back of the paper inasmuch as the roller 28 is notimmersed suificiently in the bath of coloring material to permit contactof the coloring material with the upper surface of In this manner theback ofi the paper can be colored to any desired degree and one or morerollers such as roller 28 may be used for this purpose. The effectproduced bythe second application of coloring material to the back ofthe paper is indicated in Fig, 3. In this figure a corner 29 of thepaper is shown turned backwardly so as to exhibit the back of the paper.As indicated by the heavy stippling on the back of the paper, the backof the paper is colored relatively heavily and the intensity of thecolor on the back of the paper may correspond, for example, with theintensity of the color in the shaded areas 23 hereinabove described inconnection with Fig, 3. Paper of the character shown in Fig. 3 is to becontrasted with paper of the character shown in Fig. 4 in which theturned back corner 38 has not received a second application. of coloringmaterial on the back thereof. In Fig, 4 the back of the paper, asindicated by the light stippling, corresponds in color intensity to thebackground portion 26 of the face of the paper.

In using the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 the roller 28 acts as a spreaderfor wiping free coloring material deposited on the face of the paper byrecesses H in the roll I6 to one side of the portions of the paperhaving lesser absorptiveness for coloring material in the same mannerthat the spreader l8 in Fig, 1 accomplishes this purpose. If desired,the roller 28 may be held stationary in order to augment the spreadingeffect produced thereby. An overall application of coloring material tothe face of the paper to be shaded by the spreader should be avoidedafter the paper emerges from the rolls l5 and IS in producing a shadedeffect of the character described above.

The character of shading that is produced according to this inventionmay be controlled by adjusting the speed of the paper, the depth of therecesses H in roller l6 and the viscosity of the liquid coloringmaterial. color that is imparted to any one portion of :the paper isefiected by the length of time that the liquid coloring material ismaintained in excess in contact therewith inasmuch as by increasing thelength of such contact a greater amount of the coloring material will beabsorbed. By increasing the depth of the recesses II in the roll 16,increased amounts of free coloring material The intensity of.

can be deposited on the surface of the paper. In this manner, the extentand intensity of color of the shaded areas can be increased. By varyingthe viscosity of the liquid coloring material, the extent of the shadedareas and the amount of coloring material absorbed by the shaded areascan be'varied. It is thus apparent that by using a dye bath of oneconcentration, ornamentally colored paper containing portions having atleast three degrees of color intensity can be produced in a singlepassage of the paper through the apparatus, and that the character ofthe shading can be varied as may be desired.

The foregoing is regarded as the 'preferred' practice of this invention,However, ornamental color effects may be produced according to thisinvention, utilizing other methods of pro-' cedure. For example,whenever the paper is sub.- jected to pressure so that areas ofdifferent ab-' sorptiveness are produced, the coloring material may beapplied in any suitable way or sequence to the portions of greaterabsorptiveness adjoining the portions of lesser absorptiveness so as toapply the coloring material to limited areas adjoining the portions oflesser absorptiveness for a time more prolonged than the time the'coloring material is applied to the balance of the portion of greaterabsorptiveness thereby producing greater color intensity in said areasthan in the remainder of the portion of greater absorptiveness. In suchcase the portions of lesse absorptiveness are colored least of all.Instead of using pressure rolls which are regarded aspreferable, toapply pressure to a limited portion or to limited portions of a sheet ofpaper, a stamp press or the like may be used for producing areas of asheet of paper having different degrees of absorptiveness for coloringmaterial. In any such case liquid coloring material may be applied tothe paper and will be abcolloidal dyes, finely-divided pigments and thelike of which many are well-known, may be used.

While this invention has been described in connection with certainspecific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this has beendone merely for the purpose of affording examples of the practice ofthis invention and that the scope of this invention is to be limitedonly by the language of the following claims.

What I claim is: C 1. A method of making ornamentally colored paperwhich comprises making paper having portions'of a surface thereof ofsubstantially difiering. absorptiveness for a liquid colored material,portions of lesser absorptiveness being of predetermined form, andproducing a shaded effect in local areas adjoining said portions oflesser absorptiveness by successive applications of the coloringmaterial, one application of the coloring material being an all-overapplication thereofto said surface of the paper, and another applicationof the colored material. being made by spreading free coloring materialfrom portions overlying said portions of lesser absorptiveness onto saidadjoining. local areas of said surface having greater absorptiveness.

2. A method of making ornamentally colored paper which comprises makingpaper having portions of a surface thereof of substantially differingabsorptiveness for a liquid Coloring material by compressinga portiononly of the paper to impart greater absorptiveness to such portionleaving portions of lesser absorptiveness which are of predeterminedform, and producing a shaded effect in local areas adjoining theportions of lesser absorptiveness by applying the coloring material bothto said portions of lesser absorptiveness and to said portion of greaterabsorptiveness, said latter portion including said areas and extendingbeyond said areas, a substantial amount of free coloringmaterial beingleft overlying said portions of lesser absorptiveness, and thenspreading said free coloring material from said portions of lesserabsorptiveness into said local areas of greater absorptiveness whichadjoin said portions of lesser absorptiveness thereby producing at leastthree degrees of intensity of color on said sheet of paper, the portionshaving the lesser absorptiveness for the coloring ma terial beingcolored the least, the local areas adjoining said portions having thelesser absorptiveness being colored the most, and the remainder of thepaper which has the greater absorptiveness being colored to a degreeintermediate the color of said local areas and the color of saidportions of lesser absorptiveness.

3. A method of making ornamentally colored paper which comprises makingpaper having portions of a surface thereof of substantially differingabsorptiveness for liquid coloring material by passing the paper betweenrolls at least one of which is adapted to apply pressure to certainportions of the paper to increase the absorptiveness of said portionsfor a coloring material leaving other portions of lesser absorptivenessfor the coloring material, and producing a shaded effect in areasadjoining said portions of lesser absorptiveness by depositing saidcoloring material during said rolling step so as to overlie saidportions of lesser absorptiveness, wiping said free coloring materialonto said .local areas of greater absorptiveness and making another application of said coloring material to said portions of greaterabsorptiveness including" said areas and extending beyond said areas.

4. A method of making ornamentally colored paper which comprisesapplying a liquid coloring materialto a surface of a sheet of paper soas. to leave an excess of said coloring material on said surface,rolling said sheet with a. roller adapted to exert pressure on certainportions-only of said sheet thereby increasing the absorptiveness forthe coloring material of the portions of the sheet to which the pressureis applied and removing excess coloring material from said portions, asubstantial amount of free coloring material being left overlying theportions of said sheet to which said pressure is not applied, whichlatter portions are of predetermined form and have lesser absorptivenessfor the coloring material than the portions of the sheet to whichpressure has been applied, and after the rolling step wiping the freecoloring material overlying the said portions of lesser absorptivenessonto local areas adjoining and to one side of said-portions of lesserabsorptiveness so as to make a second application of said coloringmaterial to said areas and thereby color said areas to a greaterintensity than the portions of greater absorptiveness of said sheet towhich said second application is not applied.

5. A method of making ornamentally colored paper which comprisesapplying a liquid coloring material to both sides of a sheet of paperleaving an excess of said coloring material on at least one surface ofsaid sheet, rolling said sheet with a roller adapted to exert pressureon certain portions only of said surface of said sheet therebyincreasing the absorptiveness for the coloring material of the portionsof the sheet to which the pressure is applied and removing excesscoloring material from said portions, a substantial amount of freecoloring material being left overlying the portions of said surface ofsaid sheet to whichthepressure is not applied, which latter portions arein predetermined form and have lesser absorptiveness for the coloringmaterial than the portions of the sheet to which pressure has beenapplied, and after the rolling step wiping the free coloring materialoverlying the said portions of lesser absorptiveness onto local areasadjoining and to one side of said portions of lesser absorptiveness soas to make a second application of said coloring material to said areasand thereby color said areas to a greater intensity than the portions ofgreater absorptiveness of said sheet to which said second application isnot applied, the opposite surface of said sheet only r'eceivingaffurther application of said coloring material uniformly throughoutafter said rolling step.

ETHAN F. BASSFORD.

